RYVM ITALIA Youth Camp
The Bussolengo summer camp (August 18–22) represents an opportunity for the RYVM family to reflect, share, learn, and encounter God. This year’s theme was “Imaginary Pilgrims,” and we divided it into four parts: the journey, the encounter, friendship, and treasure. Each day began with a catechesis addressing a specific topic. From the catechesis and subsequent sharing in the morning, the youth took inspiration and attempted to make a typical object from the “pilgrim’s kit”: a staff, a petasos, or a small slave.
Every moment of the workshop was enriching for both the kids and the facilitators who watched and helped them as they sought to make their work unique. These moments truly brought out the uniqueness and individuality of each child!
And, as with almost all the camps held in Bussolengo, a day at Gardaland is a must. It’s a slightly different kind of “pilgrimage,” with roller coasters, water games, and giant slushes! It’s a time for play, but also for togetherness, for sharing our fears and, at the same time, our courage. It’s a way to get to know each other, to help them, to build a bond—and it’s also a way to shake hands when you’re flying 50 meters above the ground, upside down!
Last but not least, during the camp days another type of relationship was strengthened: our relationship with God. Especially during moments of Adoration and Confession, each of us was able to draw closer and speak with the Lord.
One symbol, in particular, struck us: the lit candles. They represented us, pilgrims, who at His feet ask to be kindled in our hearts the desire to always be close to Him, just as we read in the writings of Saint Alphonsus.
This camp allowed us to discover that every person is a unique gift, a special creature of God… And with Him everything is possible.
With the hope that what we experienced in Bussolengo—a word, a reflection, a message—has remained imprinted in each of us… Let us say THANK YOU to Him, but also to the youth, the animators, the priests, the commission…
Thank you all for putting a piece of yourself into this great RYVM puzzle!
Camilla Guglielmi – Francavilla al Mare
